Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $810 in Diadema versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,317 in Diadema versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,823 in Diadema versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Diadema is 39% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 R$35.31

$12.98 MX$226

-45.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.87 R$199

$53.1 MX$923

-24.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 R$34.97

$9.72 MX$169

-27.78%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.32

$3.75 MX$65.2

-50.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.00

$1.57 MX$27.30

-22.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$1.13 MX$19.64

-20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.76

$3.18 MX$55.3

-44.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 R$14.52

$4.66 MX$81.1

-37.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.62 MX$28.21

-37.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 R$7.87

$2.71 MX$47.09

-41.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.54

$1.88 MX$32.70

-30.32%

Eggs

$2.35 R$11.72

$2.51 MX$43.65

-6.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.71

$10.08 MX$175

-20.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 R$19.38

$8.29 MX$144

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.57 R$42.70

$11.94 MX$208

-28.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 R$10.95

$2.86 MX$49.77

-23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 R$8.74

$1.75 MX$30.45

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.24

$2.08 MX$36.27

-30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.97 MX$34.27

-18.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.22

$2.16 MX$37.58

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.40

$2.18 MX$37.94

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.78

$1.39 MX$24.20

-45.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.25

$1.12 MX$19.57

-41.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.38

$4.20 MX$73.1

-40.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.43 R$46.94

$14.25 MX$248

-33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.78

$1.76 MX$30.68

-22.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$11.93

$3.68 MX$64.1

-34.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.67

$0.39 MX$6.71

141.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.96 R$194

$18.66 MX$325

108.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 R$4.31

$1.39 MX$24.12

-38.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.30 MX$5.29

136.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 R$43.65

$5.42 MX$94.3

61.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.05

$1.35 MX$23.50

-25.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.0K R$109.4K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

16.32%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.9K R$144.1K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

25.00%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$46.77 R$233

$40.82 MX$710

14.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.05 R$65.0

$27.50 MX$479

-52.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 R$94.7

$30.38 MX$529

-37.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 R$111

$53.4 MX$930

-58.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.23 R$106

$26.30 MX$458

-19.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 R$27.35

$6.27 MX$109

-12.44%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$318 R$1,585

$436 MX$7,588

-27.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,901 R$34.4K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-34.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R$254

$56.8 MX$988

-10.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.58 R$207

$44.79 MX$779

-7.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 R$385

$103 MX$1,789

-24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$363

$108 MX$1,878

-32.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,580

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 R$1,067

$620 MX$10.8K

-65.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 R$2,913

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-72.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,139

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-65.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,226 R$6,106

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-68.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$820 R$4,086

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-64.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 R$2,520

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-52.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.34

-3.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Diadema: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Diadema and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 111% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Diadema vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $286 per month, with Diadema cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Diadema vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 111% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Diadema versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Diadema – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $810 per month in Diadema versus $1,484 in Mexico City – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $810 in Diadema versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Diadema but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Diadema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Diadema is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.